U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums - General Swimming-Related Discussionshttp://forums.usms.org/
Any swimming-related topics not covered in one of the other top level topics. Non swimming-related topics should be posted in the NSR forum.enSat, 10 Dec 2016 01:18:26 GMTvBulletin60http://forums.usms.org/images/misc/rss.pngU.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums - General Swimming-Related Discussionshttp://forums.usms.org/
russian swimming - just part of their big time dopinghttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27124-russian-swimming-just-part-of-their-big-time-doping&goto=newpost
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:52:46 GMThttp://www.cnn.com/2016/12/09/sport/wada-russia-doping-mclaren-report/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2016/12/09/sport/...ort/index.html
]]>General Swimming-Related Discussionssunruhhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27124-russian-swimming-just-part-of-their-big-time-dopingFirst Meet Questionshttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27120-First-Meet-Questions&goto=newpost
Tue, 06 Dec 2016 21:08:35 GMT:dunno: I recently registered for my first swim meet and I have a few questions:
1. I signed up for the 1000yd and 500yd free events....:dunno: I recently registered for my first swim meet and I have a few questions:

1. I signed up for the 1000yd and 500yd free events. I am wondering how many times will I have to swim those distances in the meet? Once or twice?

2. As this is my first meet, I do not have any prior race times. I filled out the event sheet with my estimated times for each event. Was that correct or should I have left the times blank?

Thanks in advance.
]]>General Swimming-Related Discussionsjamie1966http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27120-First-Meet-QuestionsGetting Older,Getting Slowerhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27117-Getting-Older-Getting-Slower&goto=newpost
Tue, 06 Dec 2016 01:25:54 GMTI just got back from the SPMS meet and I am in a funk. I have talked to several of my contemporaries who share my dysphoria at getting slower. From...I just got back from the SPMS meet and I am in a funk. I have talked to several of my contemporaries who share my dysphoria at getting slower. From age 50-62 I slowed down very little. Ages 63 and 64 were one injury or illness after another, but at least there was a cause and I felt I would do better. Age 65 I aged up and for most of the year was healthy. That was a great year,but my times were all significantly slower than at 62. Since then it is very unusual to have one swim that is faster than I did the previous year.At 67(almost 68) I am notably slower than at 65. I have seen the graphs of how times slow with age, intellectually, if I am staying at the same rate of decline as my peers I should accept it, but I don't like it. I know most forumites are much younger and what I am saying may seem like something natural that I should just acknowledge and go on, that is what I thought until I was 63. I know that our having age groups every 5 years is a partial solution to the problem, but there is more difference between a 65 year old and a 68 year old than between a 40 year old and a 50 year old, in my experience. How do the other older swimmers out there cope and have a good attitude? The common saying in Masters Swimming is that "you are only competing against yourself",but my slightly younger self is kicking my butt and I am tired of it.
]]>General Swimming-Related DiscussionsAllen Starkhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27117-Getting-Older-Getting-SlowerWhat do your coaches do?http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27115-What-do-your-coaches-do&goto=newpost
Sat, 03 Dec 2016 15:06:24 GMTGood day.
For any who can take two seconds, can you please reply and let me know about your coach your practices?
For example, does your coach...Good day.

For any who can take two seconds, can you please reply and let me know about your coach your practices?

For example, does your coach put up a workout and just let you swim without any feedback whatsoever?

Or does your coach provide you with corrections, tips or pointers to improve your swimming? I am trying to get a sense of how coaching is handled by other groups.

I swim, both for the love of it, but principally as an aid for weight loss. I'm a 53-year-old male, 5' 11" tall, otherwise in good health but rather heavy. At present I'm 246lb. I never swam competitively in the past. I've been losing weight at around 2lb-per-week for the last 17 weeks, with the odd blip, using the 5:2 diet. I swim in a 25 metre public pool three-times-a-week, for a minimum of 2 hours each session. I've lost 21lb in those 17 weeks and reckon I'll be able to continue at the same rate for at least another 36lb. After that I suspect the low-hanging fruit will have gone and it will be a fight to get the remaining pounds off. The target weight is 189lb, and I aim to hit that by Q3 2017.

At present I'm 'clinically obese' having been 'morbidly obese' in the past, although as 'morbidly obese' I could a run <7 minute mile (go figure) though anything over 3 miles distance was beyond me.

I swim (only) freestyle and I've switched to that stroke only in the last three years. Before I only swam breaststroke and two lengths of front-crawl would have left me with tunnel vision (so I didn't do it!) Swimming initially with my son I made an effort to switch to the front-crawl and after six months I could finally swim a mile (64 lengths) with no difficulty, though not necessarily all-that-fast. Since then the speed has improved, but only recently have I seen a step-change, coinciding with a relatively small weight loss.

I don't dive-in and don't do any flip turns (my substantial buoyancy tends to make these difficult!) I use a Swimovate Pool Mate Live Swim Watch and I have a Finis TT Pro. I'm not a club member and generally swim alone. My swimming technique follows TI, but I've not received any formal coaching.

As my weight has reduced recently, my PB's have improved, some markedly in just the last month-and-a-half.

As the weight drops-off I'm finding that my general speed is improving. For instance a month-and-half-ago most of my 200m swims were 3:40-3:45, even though my PB was 3:25 (set in June 2015). Now all my 200 metres are sub-3:30's and the Xmas target is 3:15. I rarely swam a sub-7:40 400m but in the last fortnight every single one has been sub-7:15 and many 7:01-7:02. So things have improved and improved consistently.

You might note that I swim the 1500m quicker than the 800m, but that's likely to be addressed in the next few weeks!

With all of the above, I have some queries.

* For the specific purpose of losing weight, what swimming regime should I follow? Sprints (50m-100m) or longer-distances? I swim 'sets' but I will reach a physical limit at my current weight a little quicker than I would if I was lighter. At present 4 x 200m all @<3:30 with a 1:45 rest is about my limit; after the 4th one my times drop off and so does my technique.

* Can I expect performance to continue improving as I continue to lose more weight? I imagine that introducing flip turns will contribute perhaps 2 secs/length but I don't think I'm going to be able to perform a reliable turn until I get down to at least 224lb. I've read various estimates; such as that losing 14lb will contribute 5 secs off every 100m, but I suspect that say between say 224lb and 210lb the difference will be marginal. Someone who has lost a substantial amount of weight might be able to answer this.

Any advice will be gratefully received!
]]>General Swimming-Related Discussionsavalon222http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27111-Losing-weight-amp-getting-fasterHelp me get my butterfly backhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27105-Help-me-get-my-butterfly-back&goto=newpost
Wed, 30 Nov 2016 14:05:16 GMTSo I know that there are threads on fly already by Ande - but they are seriously too long to wade through. I used to race fly as a kid, now I am...So I know that there are threads on fly already by Ande - but they are seriously too long to wade through. I used to race fly as a kid, now I am lucky to make a 25 without gasping for air. Developed chondromalacia in both knees so I have to forget breaststroke for a couple of years, and want to get my fly back.
Anybody have any drills I can do to help me get back that drive down with my chest? I've been doing right arm, left arm, and both arms, only breathing on the first "both arms" stroke, and I do feel like my chin is in a good place there, and that my breath timing is good, but when I try to just "swim" I can feel my butt sinking in the pool. I really want to avoid fins, as they are so addicting, and I feel they artificially correct your stroke.
Thanks in advance.
]]>General Swimming-Related DiscussionsCelestialhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27105-Help-me-get-my-butterfly-backhow you can break a limit mentally?http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27100-how-you-can-break-a-limit-mentally&goto=newpost
Mon, 28 Nov 2016 16:41:09 GMTHey guys,
My lifetime best in 100m backstroke is 1:00.09 (SCM), I swam this time with 21.
Since I start swimming in masters competition, in my...Hey guys,
My lifetime best in 100m backstroke is 1:00.09 (SCM), I swam this time with 21.
Since I start swimming in masters competition, in my early 30s, my 100m backstroke times were around 1:03. I could droped my time this year to 1:01. (I am 37 now).
And last weekend I swam my personal "masters" best time: 1:01,16.
This race was not optimal, two turns were bad and my finish was bad too.
I was in good shape and was try to swim around 60sek.
Going sub 1minute in 100m backstroke was and is still a dream for me.
And thats the point. How can you just stop dreaming and see things realistic and try to set goals that are reasonable?
Is dropping one more second a realistic goal?
I dont know.
I am not trying hard, as I could to reach this (sub 1 minute), but I have a feeling, if I could do this, I will fail short once again...
If I try somethings, that is near to my dreams, I fear that I get automaticly in my old wrong mindset, where I failed so many times in my young ages.

Can you just reach a goal, without thinking of it?
Maybe there is some mentally approch to this issue?
]]>General Swimming-Related DiscussionsMartinKhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27100-how-you-can-break-a-limit-mentallyLearn to swim as an adult - time questionshttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27098-Learn-to-swim-as-an-adult-time-questions&goto=newpost
Mon, 28 Nov 2016 02:27:47 GMTHi,

I didn't learn to really swim until about 5 years ago, I'm middle aged. I have since become handicapped (mildly in the legs but enough to qualify). Since I participated in some of the meets, the below is what I've improved on from Feb/March to October times in SCY.

My regular times are still slow from what people swim/post here, even with the improvements. I can also do things this year I never thought I could (400 IM, 100/200 fly, 100/200 breast, 500 free, etc.). I've only done them once or twice (400 IM I had a 10 second difference in times in a month) so I've no way to know if I'm improving or not.

The question is: does any one know people who learned to swim as adults and what times they can expect? Or handicapped people? Should I be ok with just getting time improvements, as I don't think I can expect what others to swam as kids do? Should I be happy with the ability to do some of these (learning and doing a 100/200 fly, 400 IM at my age), and doing it legally in a meet, and just leave it at that?

Thanks,

Vic

50 free: 5/6 seconds
100 free: 10 seconds
200 free: 15 seconds
50 back: 5 seconds
100 back: 17 seconds
200 back: 40 seconds
50 breast: 20 seconds
50 fly: 6 seconds
100 fly: 5 seconds
100 IM: 15 seconds
200 IM: 30 seconds
]]>General Swimming-Related DiscussionsNichollsvihttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27098-Learn-to-swim-as-an-adult-time-questionsLeg Crampshttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27101-Leg-Cramps&goto=newpost
Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:24:52 GMTI'm in my early 70's and have been swimming since childhood. This year, for the first time ever, my legs have been cramping during workouts, usually after about a mile. I use fins. I imagine this is related to the aging process but maybe there are other factors. Any thoughts or suggestions?
]]>General Swimming-Related Discussionsfhkennedy1http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27101-Leg-CrampsBroken Tibia/Fibula Recoveryhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27091-Broken-Tibia-Fibula-Recovery&goto=newpost
Sun, 27 Nov 2016 15:18:35 GMTAfter a very successful season this year, I slipped a fell three weeks ago and suffered an oblique fracture low on my tibia and a spiral fracture...After a very successful season this year, I slipped a fell three weeks ago and suffered an oblique fracture low on my tibia and a spiral fracture high on my fibula. Luckily, no ankle or knee damage, no compound fracture, and surgery not required. That said, an above the knee cast for six weeks and then a leg/boot type brace for another six weeks. So, no weight bearing for 12 weeks total. I am three weeks into the cast and trying to start some upper body work, and tooling around in my wheelchair for exercise. My question is this - Although I know it will take time to return to good swimming form, does anyone have experience with this type of injury? Any insight or words of wisdom? Thank you.
]]>General Swimming-Related DiscussionsRamjet08http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27091-Broken-Tibia-Fibula-RecoveryNew to USMS and question about finshttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27090-New-to-USMS-and-question-about-fins&goto=newpost
Sun, 27 Nov 2016 03:34:01 GMTHi all, I've been lurking here for the past few months. I swam as a young girl in age groups, and was decently fast as a young'un, mostly free and backstroke, but quit at age 12 for reasons too stupid to believe. I then proceeded to not swim a single length for almost three decades. Two months ago, I decided to get back in the water as my kids are getting older and I have more time to work out, and it's been the best thing I have done in ages. I'm enjoying it a ton.

I am am overweight and out of shape and slower than a snail: I swim a 50 free in about 55 seconds "normal," closer to 49/50 if going all out -- molasses pace either way. But after I completed the zero-to-mile program, which came fairly easy (if slow!) to me with open turns, I decided maybe I should venture to one of the local Masters clubs and try it out. When I did, the coach recommended I swim the entire workout with fins, explaining that it would get more yardage in so would enable me to get in shape faster, and also let me focus more on stroke. This seems odd to me, since I feel like it's easier in a lot of ways to swim with the fins, but I'm certainly not a swim coach...

Any advice or thoughts? Is this common? It kind of feels like cheating. But it would be weird not to use them when the coach has told me to or to push back with a bunch of questions, since the whole reason for doing this is to work with a coached group.

At this point I am thinking I could work out 2x a week with that group and then 1-2x on my own, and when on my own only use the fins occasionally (kick sets, occasional drills, or for when I attempt butterfly which I do want to do again someday if only to say I tried!).

Fwiw, there are plenty of lanes available at the pool and time when I swim with the Masters group -- I have had either half a lane or whole lane to myself (!), more space than I get at the fitness club where I swim solo. So it's not an issue of keeping up with the slow lane... Most of the newer/slower swimmers seem to be following the same practice of always having fins though.

sorry for such a long first post, trying to include all relevant info --
]]>General Swimming-Related Discussionsilkhttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27090-New-to-USMS-and-question-about-finsMy odd kickshttp://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?27087-My-odd-kicks&goto=newpost
Sat, 26 Nov 2016 15:42:01 GMTWhen it comes to the 'other' strokes I'm not much of a swimmer. I can swim them, but for my pool workouts I have pretty much always just been a crawl stroker for open water swimming, and general fitness. But several months ago, for whatever reason, I decided that I wanted to start swimming the other strokes a little more...particularly butterfly. I can swim it, but OMG it takes a lot out of me to just complete 50 meters. So I began adding a little bit to my workouts. Usually something like 400-800 of IM, in some cases that much all in butterfly intervals. But, I've also never had much of a kick with regard to any stroke. So I decided to compare the four kicks by time. My findings have me a bit baffled. I mean I've always known that my free-flutter kick is essentially nonexistent...I really almost don't move. But for some reason on my back I do. Fly and breast I just really had no idea. So here are my times for a 25 meter kick, using a kickboard, for the four (try not to laugh):

Butterfly - 0:48
Back - 0:50
Breast - 0:35
Free - 0:58

Obviously my times for the full stroke would be much faster. I just didn't think that my backstroke flutter kick would be faster than front crawl flutter. Why? And why is my breaststroke kick so much faster than the rest? Thoughts, comments?